Der Fänger

Gorgeous in a rather creepy, uncomfortable way. Terence Stamp is superb and Samantha Eggar, extraordinary. The sexual tension is tangible even if it is one sided. That's were the sickness resides. He is convinced that she will eventually love him. Isn't that the definition of madness? But when that madness looks like Terence Stamp, everything becomes immediately more complicated. I sat hoping for both their hopes to be fulfilled. Absurd, right? Perhaps but I wanted her to escape and I wanted him to have a moment of real honest intimacy with her - Impossible I know but that's what makes The Collector so compelling. The scene where he takes her out of the bathtub is one of the most perverse sex scenes without sex I've ever seen. Samantha Eggar was nominated for an Oscar but not Terence Stamp. In my own wishful mind, he won, big time. He certainly deserved it.

I should have commented on this excellent film long ago. I first saw it in the late 1970s on television and was immediately entranced by both Stamp and Eggar whose performances are are simply riveting. It is an almost "Hitchcockian" film, in that tension and suggestion are used to maximum effect keeping the viewer on the edge of their chair. This is a film that I'd love to see re-made or re-discovered, but again like Hitchcock's best, it owes a great deal of its impact to the time in which it was made and would likely suffer at the hands of a lesser director than Wyler. Fowles work is captured (like Miranda) and viewed with microscopic clarity through Freddy's watchful eye. It has also inspired a song called "Chastity" from The Raves CD, "Past Perfect Tense" which relates the whole of the story. SEE THIS FILM.

After winning a large amount in the pool in Reading, the outcast bank clerk and entomologist Freddie Clegg (Terence Stamp) buys an isolated house in the countryside. He stalks the art student Miranda Grey (Samantha Eggar) in London and uses chloroform to kidnap and bring her in his van to his house. The sociopath Freddie locks Miranda in the cellar and she discovers that he has had an unrequited crush on her since they were teenagers. Freddie promises to respect Miranda with his platonic love and to release her in a month on June, 11th. He shows also his collection of butterflies carefully kept in a room. However, Miranda feels that she is another collectible species only for the deranged man that feels power and control with the situation and he has no intention to let her go.

"The Collector" is another masterpiece of William Wyler that has been copycatted along the years by filmmakers that presently add violence, torture and gore to the plot. The performances of Terence Stamp and Samantha Eggar are top-notch in this theatrical film and they succeed to carry alone the whole story. I can not precisely tell how many times I have watched this film, but the last time I had seen it was on 07 October 2000. Surprisingly "The Collector" has only been released in Brazil in a rare VHS, a pride and joy of my collection. My vote is ten.

Title (Brazil): "O Colecionador" ("The Collector")

Note: On 03 May 2013, I saw this movie again, now on an imported Blu- Ray.

A man (Terence Stamp) kidnaps a woman (Samantha Eggar) and holds her hostage just for the pleasure of having her there.

In his autobiography, Stamp confessed surprise as being chosen for the role, expecting Anthony Perkins or John Hurt to play Clegg. Having been chosen, he assumed (as had most others) that Julie Christie — regarded at that time as the best young actress of the era — would be given the role of Miranda, but Wyler chose Eggar because he thought it would introduce the correct air of sexual tension and awkwardness between the two protagonists. Wyler also knew Eggar had turned Stamp down when they both were studying together at Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art.

I think this casting is both devious and brilliant. I don't think of Wyler as one of "those" directors, but maybe I should. Casting a woman to make Stamp uncomfortable, and then torturing Eggar on the set... he may be much more of the mean-spirited and exacting type than he comes across from his earlier films.

Allegedly, the original cut ran over an hour longer. Most of the time I don't really want movies to be longer than 90 minutes to two hours. But this is a film I could use more of. It was perfect, and at the risk of ruining that perfection, I would like to see what more was filmed.

A butterfly collector finds a Camberwell Beauty and then sets his sights on a larger specimen ( i.e. a human whom he had been secretly admiring for some while ) to add to his collection ! Despite that this film has a limited number of characters, two to be precise, it is very good and captivating indeed, thanks to some excellent camera work and a semi-Hitchcockian sound track ! Naturally, and even more so with this type of film, it's the first viewing which leaves the lasting impression ! Now where could that lovely old house have been situated ? ? The picture quality is absolutely excellent and whilst viewing it recently it suddenly seemed to me that the 1960's were only yesterday and that the forty years that have elapsed since the making of the film had all been condensed into a form of black hole.

Films using a limited number of characters and a pretty basic plot are a bit of a risk but this one passes the test with flying colours and there are little if any dull moments. Both characters perform excellently and the viewer can sympathize with both, especially at the outset ; only as the film advances does one become aware of the underlying horror and this indeed makes the film far more effective than any old blood-and-gore horror movie.

First-time viewings are sure to wear down the edges of most of the viewers' seats ! To be recommended to all those who privilege suspense over special effects !